Remy – Elijah Wood in Maniac
Just when you think you have an actor all figured out, the best of the best switch it up on you, and that’s just what Elijah Wood did in 2013 with his stunning performance as the lead in the amazing Alexandre Aja scripted remake of Maniac. From the opening shot of him stalking his prey in first person, to the mind-blowing final frame (they put a twist on a twist ending, and it’s twisttastic!), Elijah Wood gives us the kind of performance we horror fans live for. A role so immersive, you forget you are watching an actor. Truth be told, it was not just Wood’s performance that did it. It was how the entire movie was filmed. Yes, Wood was the killer, but we experience the entire movie through his eyes, so in essence, we possess Elijah Wood. It may be his hands doing the scalping, but it is our eyes that are locked on it all, unable to look away.
For Elijah Wood to deliver such an sensational performance, and for him to do it without us ever really seeing him, just kind of blows the mind, and for me, forever redefines how I look at good horror performances.
So I am thankful to Elijah Wood. For doing such justice to an already amazing role, for not being afraid to redefine himself, and for helping bring to life one of the most disturbing characters I have ever seen on film. This is Frodo, fully corrupted by the one ring, and if he got raped by Sauron.